2004 Nissan Altima

EVERY WINTER OR WHEN THE WEATHER GETS COLD THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF RAW GAS COMING IN THROUGH THE AIR VENTS, WHEN CAR WARMS UP IN MORNING EVEN WITH ALL WINDOWS OPEN SMELL IS CHOKING AND UNBEARABLE. ALSO BRAKES SQUEAK TERRIBLY LIKE A BIG TRUCK WHEN TURNING TO LEFT AND BRAKING, EVEN AT SLOW SPEEDS, SUCH AS IN A DRIVE THRU OR PARKING. EVEN BRAND NEW BRAKES. LASTLY AND MOST SCARY IS THE DRIVER SEAT SHIFTS, ROCKS, FORWARD AND BACK WHEN BRAKING HARD OR DURING A SUDDEN STOP. PURCHASED CAR IN 2007 AS A LEASE RETURN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V242000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

WHILE TAKING MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE (@ DEALER) DUE TO ADDRESS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (CATALYTIC CONVERTER), THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOOK ME OUT TO MY CAR TO POINT OUT 2 LARGE RUST AREAS - 1 EACH ON THE DRIVER/PASSENGER FLOOR BOARDS. THE ENTIRE REST OF THE CAR UNDERCARRIAGE HAS PRACTICALLY ZERO RUST. THE CAR WAS DEALER MAINTAINED FOR THE FIRST 5 YEARS AND OFF AND ON FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, BUT ALWAYS WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE (OIL CHANGES, COOLANT/TRANSMISSION FLUSHES, ETC.) AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR, I USED THE COMPLIMENTARY VEHICLE INSPECTION - WHICH DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY CALL OUT RUST, BUT IT HAD TO BE OBVIOUS. RUST LIKE THAT DOES NOT JUST APPEAR OVER NIGHT. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I WAS NOT ADVISED OF THIS SOONER - IN FACT IT WAS NOT POINTED OUT AT A DEALER INSPECTION JUST 3 MONTHS EARLIER. SINCE I DO NOT PERFORM THE CAR MAINTENANCE I WOULD HAVE NO OTHER WAY OF NOTICING, UNLESS I SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED SOME KIND OF RUST INSPECTION -- OR ASKED TO GO LOOK AT MY VEHICLE EVERY TIME IT WAS IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE OR OTHER MAINTENANCE. READING THROUGH THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS BOARD AND THE INTERNET IN GENERAL, I'VE COME TO FIND OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM -- SEEMINGLY ATTRIBUTED TO A FAULTY DESIGN RELATED TO A DRAIN PLUG. WHEN THERE IS PRACTICALLY ZERO RUST ELSEWHERE, YOU CANNOT CLAIM THIS TO BE THE FAULT OF THE OWNER. I WAS NOT PLANNING ON GETTING RID OF THIS CAR FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO, BUT NOW AM FORCED TO START LOOKING. THE REPAIR COST IS NOT WORTH THE VALUE OF THE CAR (BASED ON MILEAGE). WHILE I WOULD HAVE ONCE PURCHASED A NEW NISSAN WITH NO HESITATION (BASED ON MY ALTIMA'S RELIABILITY), I NOW AM FORCED TO RECONSIDER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT VISIBLE AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS HIMSELF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIR. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

I WAS DRIVING AT 35 MPH AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON, ALTHOUGH THE HAND BRAKE WAS NOT ACTIVATED. THE CAR WOULD NOT STEER OR THE FOOT BRAKE WOULD NOT WORK WITHOUT A LOT OF PRESSURE. ONCE I GOT STOPPED AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I HAVE NOTICED HESITATION AT TIMES LIKE IT WAS GOING TO SHUT OFF. THE CAR HAS 3/4 TANK OF GAS AND HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IT HAS SHUT OFF AT LOW SPEED. *TR

FIRST OF ALL I NOTICED ON 06/07/11 THAT MY 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA3.5 SE PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD HAS A BIG RUST SPOT WHICH IS ABOUT 11 INCHES BY 7 INCHES, BUT THE REST OF THE FLOOR BOARD IS IN PRISTINE CONDITION. HUH. ALSO THE TIMING TENSION CHAIN TENSIONER WENT BAD ON 05/01/12, WITH 86000 MILES AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED WHICH WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR, AND SAW THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE ALTIMA 3.5 L ENGINE. HMMMM. AND THEN, THE CAR KEPT ON STALLING OUT GOING DOWN THE ROAD, WAS TOLD IT WAS THE CAM SHAFT SENSORS, AND HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACED, NOW MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF, BUT ENGINE IS RUNNING GOOD NOW. I BOUGHT A NEW 2012 ALTIMA 3.5 SL BACK IN DECEMBER 2011, KEPT THE 04 ALTIMA, MOST OF THESE PROBLEMS HAPPENED FIVE MONTHS AFTER BUYING THE 2012 DON'T THINK. *TR

NISSAN ALTIMA JUST DIED ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND WE HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. WE BOTH SUSTAINED MULTIPLE SURGERIES AND WAS ADMITTED FOR ABOUT A WEEK. CALLED NISSANUSA TO INFORM THEM, BUT THEY DON'T CARE. THERE WERE SUPPOSE TO GET BACK TO US AND NOBODY DID. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN NISSAN. THEY ARE CRAP CARS!!! *TR

THE VEHICLE KEPT SHOWING CODES P1148, P1278 AND P1279. TOOK IT TO NISSAN DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY CHANGED MAF SENSOR, ALL OXYGEN SENSORS, FUEL SYSTEM CLEANING BUT THE CODE KEPT SHOWING UP. THE VEHICLE FINALLY SHUT OFF ON THE PARKWAY WITHOUT WARNING AND WE WERE REAR ENDED. LUCKILY WE WERE ONLY TWO IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. WE BOTH HAVE SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES FROM THIS ACCIDENT. THE NISSAN ALTIMA IS A DEATH TRAP. NISSANS IS A BAD COMPANY....BEWARE!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH, WHEN THE BRAKE AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE THEN BEGAN TO PERFORM WITH A REDUCTION IN POWER. THE FAILURE RECURRED FREQUENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED THREE TIMES AS WELL AS THE ALTERNATOR BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER HOWEVER, THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND A CLAIM WAS FILED FOR THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,500. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.